Golf-ball.



TTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.V

ELEAZER KEMPSl-IALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEKEMPSIIALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GOLF- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,922, datedApril 15, 1902.

Application filed March IZ, 1902. Serial No. 97,885. (No model.)

To (o7/Z wle/0772, it Uta/y concern:

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, a citizen of the United States,residing in Boston, in the countyof Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to balls for use in golf and other games; and itsobjects are to improve the qualityand efficiency of the balls and alsoto provide for producing balls of uniform and reliable quality at Verylow cost.

In my pending application, filed September 27, 1901, Serial No. 76,814,I show a balloonstructed with a celluloid shell compressed upon anelastic substance, whereby the shell is elastically supported againstdistortion produced by a blow. Certain of the claims in said applicationcover, broadly, the construction made the subject-matter hereof,thisapplication being based upon certain features not specifically claimedin said pending application. In the present instancelcompress a shell ofgutta-percha upon a hard filling, preferably plastic material-such, forinstance, as gutta-percha.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure lis a View, partly in section, of a ball made according to my presentimprovements and partly broken away. Fig.2 illustrates the preferredmethod of manufacturing the balls.

Similar letters of reference designate like parts in the figures.

I produce a center piece (designated by A) of the required size andshape of highly-compacted gu tta-percha, although other hard materialmay be used. This center piece or filling is preferably somewhat toobulky for the capacity of the finished shell. The latter is made ofwell-seasoned and compacted guttapercha of high quality, and Ipreferably form the same of two hemispherical segments (designated inFig. 2 by B and C, respectively) by means of suitable apparatus, wherebythe segments are shaped and the gutta-percha is subjected to a highdegree of pressure and becomes solidified and toughened. The centerpiece A is placed between said segments, and these assembled parts areplaced between forming-diesas, for instance, D and E- whereupon the diesare brought together by means of suitable mechanism, forcing the shellstogether until their edges are in intimate contact. The dies maybeheated by steam or otherwise for bringing the guttapercha segments intosuitable condition and consistency for uniting them and completing theshell.

' The abutting edges of the original segments at B and C' may be madesomewhat full, thereby to furnish material for properly forming thejoint between them as they are subi jected to the final compression, atwhich operation the ball is finally shaped and at the same time thematerial of the shell is com-` pressed between the dies and theresisting mass A within the shell. Since this central portion is firstprepared somewhat over lsize, and the shell is compressed over the same,as explained, the resistance of said central portion while under suchcompression furnishes a substantial support for sustaining the shellagainst the pressure of the forming-dies. By properly sizing the centerpiece the shell may be sustained against any necessary degree 0fpressure of the dies.

Preferably the edges B and C contact be fore much, if any, compressionof the core is effected, so as to avoid liability of the lattersqueezing out between said edges.

The compression of the ball is maintained while the shell cools andhardens, so that the latter may hold the ball under permanentcompression or grip. It is to be understood that in case condensation ofthe bulk of either shell or core takes place in the operation ofcompressing the shell upon the core it is due to the presence ofair-spaces or impurities in the material. It is not essential in allcases that the core be condensed in bulk so long as when the ball isfinished the core is powerfully gripped by the shell, thereby enablingshell and -eore to act conjointly, and hence vastly improving theplaying qualities of the ball.

By. the compressing and heating operation the gutta percha, particularlythat of the shell, is further compacted or solidified and pression, andthereby rendered exceedingly IOO sensitive in responding to a blow froman implement. Thus I produce a twofold springiness in they ball, or, inother Words, I enable the elasticity of the compressed lling tocooperate with the' springiness of the comn pressed shell, so as toinstantly restore the a blow.

latter to its normal shape after distortion by The promptness of `theball in responding to a blow is augmented by having the filling undercompression, since the outward pressure thereof tends constantly tocause the shell to maintain a spherical shape, or, in other words. theoutward pressure due to the constant effort of the compressed core toenlarge its confines is of material assistance in enabling the ball tospring instantly back to ils original shape, and hence conduoes to theefficiency thereof. Moreover, owing to its compression, said core ismore resisting, and when struckit sooner reaches the limit ofcompression, so that less force is wasted in changing and rechanging theshape of the ball and more momentum is acquired by the ball from theimplement.

Owing to the separate preparation by heating and compression of the coreand the shell the liability to permanent distortion of the ball, whichis a common fault of solid guttapercha balls, is avoided. The compressedcore gives an even resistance at all portions of the shell, so that areliable and uniform action of vthe ball is secured. Thus at low Cost Iproduce a solid gutta-percha ball of improved quality.

`Variations in method and structure may be resorted to Within the scopeof the improvements set forth herein.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A playing-ball comprising agutta-percha shell consisting of welded segments, and a solid sphere`Consisting entirely of guttapel-cha filling said shell and held undercompression thereby. A

2. A playing-ball consisting of a highlycompacted shell built up fromgutta-percha segmenfsnvsaid'segments being Welded edge to edge, and afilling consisting of' gutta` percha powerfully gripped by said shell.

3. A playing-ball comprising a shell built up of highly solidified orcompacted thick hemispherioal sections of Well-seasoned gutta-percha,and a sphere of highly-compacted gutta-percha held under compression bysaid shell.

4. A playing-ball comprising a highly-compacted substantial gutta-perchashell and a sphere of highly compact-ed gutta pei-cha y powerfullygripped by said shell; the diameter of said sphere being about one-halfthat of the complete ball.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL. fitnessesz B. C. STICKNEY, JOHN .O. SEIFERT.

